Romanizing and Missional - the Good Kind
Yes, after years of engaging in a cryptozoological search for actual Romanizing Lutherans, I have finally bagged my first specimen of the mythical (but elusive) creature.
I have found actual “Romanizing” Lutherans!
How is it possible? Here are some pictures of the ordination of two men into the priesthood under the auspices of the Confessional Lutheran Church in Rome (the Reverends Joshua Salas and Lorenzo Murrone)! These two pastors will serve the Confessional Lutheran Mission in Italy. They really are Roman Lutherans!
I’m not sure exactly when this happened, because of time zone issues and social media timestamp ambiguities - but it was within the last couple days.
The LCMS and other confessional church bodies were represented in this historic confessional Lutheran ordination. And this is also how real mission work is done, as people all over the world on every continent are establishing new confessional church bodies, new seminaries, and new church plants. What’s missing in this actual “missional” context? Do you see any drums, guitars, dancing girls, or jumbotron screens? Where is the praise band with the Big Eva and/or NAR pop music? Where are all of the suburban American buzzwords about leadership, entrepreneurship, and contextual ministry? Instead, we see tradition, hymnody, and reverence. We see the Lutheran Divine Service bereft of tawdry entertainment. We see Article 14 and Article 24 upheld, respected, and celebrated - and not treated as historical relics and impediments to work around and explain away.
Thank you to our hero of the faith and Sabre of Boldness recipient, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, for his true mission work and genuine pastoral leadership in helping to establish faithful confessional Lutheran church bodies all over the world!
May the Lord bless this latest missionary outpost of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament: in Rome, in Italy, in Europe, and around the world.
Christ is risen!
